While incontinence may be caused by a wide variety of physical conditions, it is always sensitive and potentially embarrassing to someone affected by it. However, there are many conventional undergarments which are specifically made to allow the incontinent individual to function normally without constant worry about troublesome leakage of urine. These prior art garments, to one extent or another, treat the problem by retaining fluids and preventing accidents, but they typically suffer from several shortcomings, including a lack of user comfort, increased bulk causing the protective undergarment to be obvious beneath overgarments and high manufacturing costs due to the fact that special sewing needles, equipment, methods, and speeds are often necessary to handle the liquid resistant materials used to construct the garments.
Of primary importance in the design of an undergarment for those who suffer from incontinence is discreetness, so that the condition is not obvious. Discreetness is ensured by a garment which is unaudible, light-weight, soft and stretches so that it conforms to the user's body and is as similar to an ordinary undergarment as possible.
In general, it is also desirable that the liquid resistant crotch portion of the undergarment be durable, washable, water and stain resistant and odor free. Optimally, the crotch material should not become tacky, crack, peel or breakdown throughout repeated washings. It is also highly desirable that the crotch material, as well as the body fabric, "breathe", or transmit moisture vapor to some extent, in order to allow the user's body condensate to escape. Of course, moisture vapor transmission is not so extensive that other liquids, such as urine, are passed so that the garment cannot perform its intended function. This "breathable" characteristic allows an extra degree of comfort during use and avoids a clammy feeling. It is also necessary that the undergarment be adaptable for use with a disposable absorbent crotch pad, which is used for incontinence, and also during a woman's menstrual flow, to absorb liquids. In order to accomodate conventional pads, which have partial adhesive backings, the garment crotch material must allow easy removal of the pads for disposal without causing damage to the crotch material.
One conventional undergarment which possesses some of the above features is disclosed in U.S. Pat. 4,880,424. This latter undergarment is comprised of a knitted body material attached to a laminated crotch portion. The laminated portion, in turn, is comprised of a stretchable fabric backing, bonded with an adhesive, to a thermoplastic stretch film which is liquid proof. However, the two part garment construction requires careful fabrication techniques due to the fact that the laminated material used in the crotch portion must be sewn to the knitted body material. Accordingly, the patent disclosure necessitates the use of special threads, needles, equipment and sewing speeds to handle the laminated material. The special manufacturing requirements inevitably increase garment costs.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an undergarment for incontinent persons, which garment is comfortable and discreet.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an undergarment for incontinent persons, the crotch portion of which resists passage of urine and other body fluids, yet allows for some of the user's body condensate to escape by moisture vapor transmission.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an undergarment for incontinent persons, which garment maintains its shape under repeated washings.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an undergarment for incontinent persons, which garment will accept disposable absorbent shields for incontinence and also for use during a woman's menstrual flow.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an undergarment for incontinent persons, which garment has a body material and separate crotch portion constructed of a coated fabric.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an undergarment for incontinent persons, which garment can be fabricated using standard sewing equipment, speeds and techniques.